Combined pivoted projector and elevated target ball game



May 3, 1966 E- H. KESSLER 3,249,353

COMBINED PIVOTED PROJECTOR AND ELEVATED TARGET BALL GAME Filed March 3, 1964 o H y 4 Ill} J 3 MM 5 i United States Patent M 3,249,358 COMBINED PIVOTED PROJECTOR AND ELEVATED TARGET BALL GAME Elmer H. Kessler, Queen Annes County, Md. (112 S. Commerce St., Centreville, Md.) Filed Mar. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 349,049 3 Claims. (Cl. 273101) This invention relates to a game apparatus and more particularly to a game apparatus where rolling balls are placed in receptacles using skill rather than luck to so do.

The main object of this invention is to provide a skill ball game in which a novel method of employing the force of gravity is used to roll a ball or balls from a given static position to one or more positions of greater height and depositing said balls into suitable receiving cups or receptacles without the use of triggers, springs or shooting devices of any kind, the adeptness of the operator in varying the degree of gravitational fall and elevation of the balls being the only controlling factor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a skill ball game of simple construction and mechanical action.

Another object of this invention is to provide a skill ball game of universal appeal which can be economically manufactured of low cost materials and can be mass produced.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a skill ball game of versatility where the difliculty of play can be altered to suit the skill of the operator.

Still additional objects and advantages of this invention will become evident from a study of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a skill ball game made in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the invention showing the opposite side of the view of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the invention showing in part the ratio of the length to the width of the base.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, a skill ball game made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a rectangular frame made of ply board or other material consisting of a floor or base 11, low lateral sides 10 and rather high end sides 9 to'which are attached receptacle cup rods 8 which in turn hold receptacle cups 7.

Centrally located and fastened to floor or base 11 is a bracket composed of two identical sections between which longitudinally concave shaped member 1 is suspended by pivot pin 4. The pair of rails 2 are attached to the sides of rocking member 1 and have the same longitudinally concave shape. Rails 2 are placed on each side of rocking member 1 and protrude above the top surface of member 1 so balls 3 when rolling on and between rails 2 are in contact with rails 2 only.

Operating control knob 6, operating rod 15, hearing tube 12, bearing tube clamp 14 and linkage 13 are the members of the tilting or rocking mechanism.

The operation of this skill ball game will now be readily understood.

When operating knob 6 is turned in one and then the other direction, rod 15 will turn likewise causing linkage 13 to move one end of rocking member 1 either up and down or down and up and of course the opposite end of member 1 will follow the motions in the opposite sequence. This seesaw motion of rocking member 1 causes balls 3 to roll on and between rails 2 and by gravity, balls 3 will roll toward the low end of rails 2. Just before balls 3 can reach the end of rails 2, the operator turns control knob 6 raising the low end of rocking member 1 so that balls 3 will now roll down hill in the opposite direction. If the right velocity of downward roll 3,249,358 Patented May 3, 1 966 ice I of balls 3 is created, the balls 3 can climb up the opposite side of rails 2 when it is raised at the proper moment to deposit one ball in any cup 7 despite the fact that these cups 7 are set at a considerably higher plane than the one occupied by balls 3 when they are at rest on a point midway between ends of rail section 2.

The dimensions of this skill ball game are not critical and are governed by cost and convenience. The game can be made in any convenient size.

It should be understood that several mechanical combinations of rocking methods for member 1 can be used and can be located at several positions on this skill ball game.

It should also be understood that rocking member 1 together with rails 2 can be hinged or pivoted on either extreme end as well as in the center as drawn, and the results obtained would be the same except that balls 3 would then be delivered to receptacle cups 7 from one end only of rail section 2. For greater versatility the double ended skill ball game is hereby considered.

The center drop in longitudinally concave member 1 with rails 2 is not critical being approximately one inch in an eighteen inch long rail section.

The spacing apart of rails 2 is slightly less than the diameter of balls 3 so that balls 3 will be in contact with rails 2 very close to the ball axis but still be supported by rails 2 and touching nothing else.

This spacing combined with the upward concave curve of rails 2 makes it possible in the rocking process to raise the rail ends sufficiently so balls 3 can be deposited into elevated receiving cups 7 which are mounted on a line with the longitudinal axis of the rail section and also adjacent to the curved line followed by the rail ends in their travel so the ends of the rails pass very close to the cup lips, said cups being open top hollow receptacles. The ball must be accurately placed therein at a definite minimum speed to insure its remaining therein as the space between the cups will allow a ball if rolled too fast to travel over the cup and fall to the base and be out of play.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in drawing and while various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus completely and fully described this invention, what is now claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Askill ball game comprising a base, an elongated member rockably mounted on said base, means for pivotsurface of said member and adapted to receive at least one ball of a diameter slightly greater than the spacing between said rails so that said ball rides on said rails, and target means spaced from said rocking member and mounted on a line with the longitudinal axis of said track means and adjacent to the curved line traveled by the end of said track means (but on a plane higher than the plane occupied by said ball when it is at rest midway between the ends of said track means) so that by pivoting said track means the ball can be rolled along the rails and be projected from the end of said rails towards the area occupied by the said target means.

2. A skill ball game comprising a base, an elongated member rockably mounted on said base, means for pivoting said member, upwardly concave track means comprising a pair of rails longitudinally mounted on the upper surface of said member and adapted to accommodate a plurality of balls placed on said track means of a diameter slightly greater than the spacing between said rails so that said balls can ride on said rails, and multiple target means spaced from said rocking member and pivoting said track means the balls can be rolled along 1 the rails in alternating directions and be induced to leave the ends of said track means and enter areas occupied by 10 said target means.

3. A skill ball game as set forth in claim 2 wherein each said target means comprises an open top hollow receptacle. i

4 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 562,264 6/1896 Wilcox 273-110 1,906,900 5/1933 Connors 273-101 3,080;67.5 3/ 1963 Licitus 46-43 FOREIGN PATENTS 263,310 1 1/ 1949 Switzerland.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. 'BOVASSO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SKILL BALL GAME COMPRISING A BASE, AN ELONGATED MEMBER ROCKABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID MEMBER, UPWARDLY CONCAVE TRACK MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF RAILS LONGITUDINALLY MOUNTED ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AT LEAST ONE BALL OF A DIAMETER SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID RAILS SO THAT SAID BALL RIDES ON SAID RAILS, AND TARGET MEANS SPACED FROM SAID ROCKING MEMBER AND MOUNTED ON A LINE WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID TRACK MEANS AND ADJACENT TO THE CURVED LINE TRAVELED BY THE END OF SAID TRACK MEANS (BUT ON A PLANE HIGHER THAN THE PLANE OCCUPIED BY SAID BALL WHEN IT IS AT REST MIDWAY BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID TRACK MEANS) SO THAT BY PIVOTING SAID TRACK MEANS THE BALL CAN BE ROLLED ALONG THE RAILS AND BE PROJECTED FROM THE END OF SAID RAILS TOWARDS THE AREA OCCUPIED BY THE SAID TARGET MEANS. 